Britannia’s Varun Berry Hails GST Reform as “Farsighted and Progressive”

Varun Berry, Executive Vice Chairman, Managing Director & CEO of Britannia Industries, welcomed the recently announced GST reforms, calling them a major relief for ordinary Indians.

He noted that while the reform covers many common-use items, the biggest impact will be on bakery snacks, especially biscuits — a staple for over a billion Indians. “Biscuits, priced at ₹5 and ₹10, have near-universal consumption, reaching even the smallest villages,” Berry said. For Britannia, about 62% of sales come from these small packs, while the proportion is even higher across the industry.

A reduction in GST on biscuits from 18% to 5%, he added, will directly benefit the right segment of society. “This move will not only ease pressure on household budgets but also stimulate consumption, providing a demand boost for the industry at large — a truly farsighted and progressive step by the Prime Minister,” Berry said.

It is to be noted that, to build an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, the Central Government has proposed significant reforms in GST.  The proposed reforms are focused on three pillars, namely: a) structural reforms b) rate rationalisation, and c) ease of living

The Central Government has sent its proposal on GST rate rationalisation and reforms to the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted by the GST Council to examine this issue.

Key areas identified for next-generation reforms include the rationalisation of tax rates to benefit all sections of society, especially the common man, women, students, middle class, and farmers.

Reforms will also seek to reduce classification-related disputes, correcting inverted duty structures in specific sectors, ensuring greater rate stability, and further enhancing ease of doing business. These measures aim to strengthen key economic sectors, stimulate economic activity, and enable sectoral expansion.